New York City’s Elementary School Libraries Rebuilt
NEW YORK-Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Robin Hood Foundation are partnering in an effort to rebuild 25 elementary school libraries by September 2006. The Robin Hood Foundation, a nonprofit organization that fights poverty in New York, had pushed for a goal of 50 libraries, but city officials compromised at half that amount.
The mayor pledged $10 million toward the project and the Robin Hood Foundation will contribute an additional $6.5 million, which includes a $1 million donation from investment bank Credit Suisse First Boston. Additionally, two publishers – Scholastic and HarperCollins – will donate millions of new books.
The libraries included in the project are, for the most part, located within schools in lower income areas. Schools selected to have their libraries upgraded and thoroughly renovated have to agree to keep after-school and Saturday hours so the community can take advantage of the library space. In exchange, libraries will be worked on by a renowned architect and include a classroom for group discussions and a storytelling area. Additionally, libraries will receive thousands of new books and new furniture, including desks, chairs, study carrels and bookshelves.
The Robin Hood Foundation began its improvement program in 2002, and has since refurbished and rebuilt 31 of the city’s elementary school libraries – they reopened 21 libraries in fall 2004 alone. The foundation’s recent survey found that of the city’s 650 elementary schools, less than 100 had functioning libraries.